Making Beds

I feel like I have completely fallen off the blogging bandwagon and every time I sit down to write one I just can't...blogger's block maybe??? 

Anyway, I have succumbed to the pressure of my parents and my husband and hopefully this post will be the one that gets me going again.

The age old question: Why is it so hard to get your children to make their beds in the morning.  Six months ago both of my children were making their beds everyday before school and then summer came.  It seems like all rules go out of the door when summer hits and they completely forgot how to make their beds.  I guess I have to take some of the blame as I didn't make them make their beds everyday but these last six months have been a battle everyday to get this simple task done.  Sometimes I wage it and sometimes I just say it isn't worth it.

Anyway, one morning after a success I walked into JP's room and found this arrangement on his bed.  It was too cute and I couldn't resist taking a picture.  Every time he makes his bed this is how it can be found.

I wonder what makes him decide to cover up his tiger and monkey with his blankie??



Boys Night/Girls Night

Last weekend JP and Pratt headed off for a fun night of camping at Hampton Lake.  We figured this was a good way to introduce JP to camping.  They have everything you need at Hampton Lake so off the went for a night of guy stuff. 

The boys had so much fun!  They boated, fished, danced, had a fire, ate all kinds of food, etc.  Unfortunately the fun didn't last all night for Pratt as he got some kind of food poisoning or something.  Let's just say getting sick while camping, no matter how nice the arrangements is no fun; but leave it up to a child to make you smile even in the midst of feeling the worse.  When JP woke up Saturday morning he peaked his head out of the tent to find Pratt barely alive and said, "Dad, dad, two amazing things...first, I slept in my clothes all night and second I still haven't brushed my teeth!" 

Both really enjoyed the camping thing and will probably give it another try soon as the evening temperatures are starting to cool off.

While the boys were off on their adventure, Shelby and I opted to have a nice girl's evening.  We started out with dinner at Truffles with Grandmother (Shelby really wanted Grandmother to join us and asked if she could call her to invite her that morning.  Since it was 7am and I knew mom didn't have to work I told her that I would make sure to call Grandmother.  She couldn't quite understand that Grandmother probably wasn't up yet.).  After a very nice dinner we walked next door to Lovin' Spoons for some yummy yogurt!!!  As always, my eyes were bigger then my stomach, but I mustered up the strength to scrap the bottom of my bowl....so glad that my whole family loves that place.  PS-Rarely will I ever turn down an invite to Lovin' Spoons-hint, hint:)

After a quick trip to the store we came home, put on our pjs and settled into my bed to watch Yes to the Dress.  It was so much fun and I really cherished my time with my not so baby, baby girl!!  I love her so much!!



First Day of School 2012

Last Tuesday we started the new school year.  While a lot of mom's across our town were fighting back tears, I was very excited to send my children off on a new adventure.  Is something wrong with me??  I mean, I love my children to pieces, but I also have no problem watching them grow and go off on new adventures.  Maybe it is because I loved school sooo much that I get all giddy at the thought of school supplies, books, learning, etc that it overrides my sadness as a mom watching her children getting bigger by the moment.  Don't get me wrong, I do have moments of realization that take my breath away but when it comes to sending my children off to school I don't.

Anyway, before we loaded up to head to school we tried to take our yearly first day of school pictures.  We tried our hardest to get a good picture, but most of the time the children, especially Shelby, were more interested in being silly then serious.  At first this was rather frustrating, but then I said to myself, "Hey, if she wants to be silly, let her be silly.  What better way to capture their little personalities then when they are being goofy."

This first picture is actually the best one we got but most of them.....

were like this

or like this...

Then we moved onto individual pictures. 

JP's first day of kindergarten.

(Don't ask me what the leaf was about.  They both decided they needed a prop to pose with.)

Shelby's first day of 2nd grade.



Okay, now I am ready to cry:(  Where did the time go and I miss my babies!!!! 

Can I get a Witness?

JP is actually listening...well, sometimes....

Sunday at church during the children's sermon Pastor Bill asked the children what was the only way to Heaven?  The children (at least most of them) quickly replied, "You die."  Of course we adults got a huge kick out of that.  We knew the answer that he was looking for, but children are quite literal so they gave him an incorrect correct answer.  As he went on to explain more about Jesus and what he did on the cross and through is resurrection so that we could spend eternity in Heave with God he asked the children where Heaven was and my sweet, shy JP who never speaks up said, "Straight up."  I was unaware that it was him until the end of the service so you can imagine my surprise when Rachel told me.  What a stinker!!!

Monday morning Shelby was walking around the house pretending like she was dead, but she could walk.  I think that she might have said the word zombie but part of me can't believe where she would have heard that word so I am not sure.  At any rate, she made a comment about walking around dead.  JP said, "Everyone walks around dead."  So I told JP that there was no such thing as dead people walking around.  And without missing a beat he said, "Yes mom, we are all dead in our sins."  HOLD UP!!!  Did he just say that?!?!?! was the response in my head but what I said was, "You are right JP; you are so right.  How do we become alive?"  He replied, "God makes us alive."  Then I asked him what God did so that he could make us come alive.  And he said, "Jesus died on the cross."  Bingo!!!  So impressed that he seems to be getting it:)

All this time I supposed everything went in one ear and out the other, but somethings are actually sticking.

So, About the Rest of July....

So what did the rest of July look like??

Well, we sent off our cousin back to Argentina in style.

The kids and I enjoyed some pool time at Grammy and Papa's house.



I braved our first sleep over while Pratt was away. (In case you are wondering, it went off without a hitch.  The children had a great time and stayed up way too late, but that is what you are supposed to do at a sleepover.)

We played tourist for the day with our friends, the Dalzells, complete with a day at the beach and a trip to Coligny Plaza where we found Sweet Carolina Cupcakes, Frosty Frog, and The Frozen Moo.



The girls tried to take down Uncle Matt when he came to visit.  I think it was a tie.

JP went to camp at school and the theme was Circus.  My sweet little clown!  I mean, it doesn't get much cuter than that<3>

Shelby also went to camp at school with her bff and our neighbor Neely.  The girls had a blast and Shelby really enjoyed showing Neely her school.

All in all it was a great month and it flew by.  After June seemed to drag on and on I just can't wrap my head around how fast July came and went.  We are now at the one week count down for school to start and fall activities to begin.  Shelby is super excited about Tumbling class and we are hoping to get JP some golf lessons.

It's Pinteresting

Have you heard of the insanely addicting website called Pinterest?  Well, if you haven't then don't go there!!  Consider this your warning.

In an effort to keep track of things I thought that it might be fun to blog from time to time when I try new recipes.  Lately my obsession with Pinterest has ignited in me a desire to try new recipes so here is my first post. 

This morning I was going to try Blueberry Oatmeal Bake but was out voted 2 to 1 by my children who thought that the Pancake Muffins.  The deal was that I had to have all the ingredients in the house and sure enough I did.  Well, I actually went out on a limb and modified the recipe just a tweak and thankfully they were a huge hit!!!

My recipe for Pancake Muffins:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line muffin pan with liners (I always try to use liners when cooking muffins because it is such a pain to try to clean a muffin pan!)

Mix: 1 cup of Bisquick, 2/3 cup water (I think the next time I am going to use milk), 1 egg, 1/2 cup syrup

Fill muffin cups about half full

Sprinkle chocolate chips/blueberries/whatever topping you like

Bake for 13 minutes

Enjoy!!!

Two happy campers at breakfast!!!

Other recipes I have tried and the result:

Quinoa Cakes: they were all right, the recipe I tried called for tons of pepper and let's just say they turned out extremely peppery!!  Might have to try that one again.

Oven Fried Zucchini chips: very tasty!!  Definitely have to put this one on the rotation to break up the steamed veggie train we ride in this house.



Happy 4th

Fourth of July is always so much fun!!  It is about spending time with family and celebrating our country and our freedom.

We swam with Grammie on Monday.  JP is definitely becoming very brave and agile in the water. 

He also had his first driving lesson with Uncle Matt. 

"Look Mom!  No hands!!"

Okay, so we have some work to do (thank goodness he is only 5).

Fourth of July is also about wearing matching t-shirts!!  We almost looked like twins except for the whole eye color, hair color and skin tone thing.

 Happy Fourth of July from our family to you!!!